If you’ve never heard of the The Surfin’ Plumbers, you will soon. This unique residential plumbing company just opened its third location in Franklin, Tenn. The company also has locations in Bradenton and North Port, Florida. Tab Hunter, a Tennessee native known as the Kahuna, purchased Bradenton-based Pritchard Plumbing in 2010 and re-branded it as The Surfin’ Plumbers. Pritchard Plumbing was founded 30 years ago by Tim Pritchard, the Big Kahuna who remained with The Surfin’ Plumbers as General Manager.
Tab Hunter, owner of Surfin’ Plumbers, has been in the business since 1986. Hunter, a nationally recognized plumbing business expert operated Tab Hunter Plumbing, a successful Nashville company, until 2006. His motto for The Surfin’ Plumbers is to be “neat, clean and professional, while giving customers an enjoyable plumbing experience.”
Surfin’ Plumbers founder Hunter understands that nobody ever really wants to call a plumber. When plumbing problems occur, it can be stressful and expensive and the last thing anyone has ever been excited about is calling for help. Until now. Through the company’s unique business model and brand, The Surfin’ Plumbers make this whole experience easy and fun for customers. Every aspect of the business is carefully designed to fit along with the plumbing theme. From the popular branded merchandise for sale on the website (http://www.thesurfinplumbers.com) to the surfer lingo used by call-takers, no detail was left out. Surfin’ Plumbers vans and trucks might be the most noticeable thing as they are all custom wrapped with the company’s logo and style and feature surfboards mounted on the top, should the plumbers need to catch a wave.
While most home services contractors employ yellow pages ads as their primary means of advertising, The Surfin’ Plumbers do things differently, using online marketing via the company’s website, Facebook and Twitter. While many companies have a presence on Facebook, very few do as great a job of actively engaging fans. The Surfin’ Plumbers use Facebook to communicate with and receive feedback from fans and customers as well as to promote their many sponsored activities at local events. The Club Kahuna is a special program different from most service agreements typically offered by contractors. Through two membership level options, Club Kahuna offers members special discounts on merchandise, exclusive entrance to events and credits on future plumbing services and repairs.
As a public relations firm specializing in marketing to women, we know that women make 85% of consumer purchasing decisions and women usually pick up the phone to call for home service. The Surfin’ Plumbers is doing some really interesting things and we’re excited to see what’s next from them. Welcome back to Tennessee Tab! We’re excited to have the Surfin’ Plumbers in our state and we’re jealous of Nashville-area residents who are getting a first-hand experience with the most fun they’ll ever have calling a plumber.